In integrated circuit (IC) chip design, components and circuitry formed therein are typically operated using a variety of signals, including reference signals. Certain components operate based on voltage signals, while other components are designed to function based on current signals. As the complexity of integrated circuits continues to increase, the accuracy of such voltage and current reference signals becomes increasing important. One problem that typically affects the accuracy of current signals in IC chips is the impact temperature has on components used to generate the current signals. Since avoiding temperature fluctuations altogether is typically not possible, steps must be taken to minimize the effects of temperature fluctuation among the circuitry used to generate the current signals.
Various known solutions use circuit topologies in which two or more resistive elements are arranged with a configuration of semiconductors so that drift caused by temperature change of one resistor is balanced by temperature change in another resistor.
Providing a stable current source without using temperature compensation may be performed in an integrated circuit (IC) solution with either the usage of one or more external low-temperature coefficient (TC) resistors, which require an extra pin(s) on the IC, or dedicated technology layers within the IC to integrate zero temperature coefficient (ZTC) resistors within the IC. These layers are usually optional when available and then they have an additional cost.